


The Magic of Powdered Sugar

by mel_tokio



Category: Tales of Symphonia
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:42:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27542539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mel_tokio/pseuds/mel_tokio
Summary: Colette and Lloyd enjoy the grand opening of a new cafe in Luin with a somewhat persistent fan of theirs.
Relationships: Colette Brunel/Lloyd Irving
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	The Magic of Powdered Sugar

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr in 2017. Reposted here with minor edits.
> 
> Concept is inspired by the logo on Colette's donuts in this adorable Tales of Link card:  
> https://tales-of-link.fandom.com/wiki/JP_1443_Colette

After sixteen years of bearing the title of ‘Chosen,’ Colette was no stranger to adoring fans. They’d become especially omnipresent after she began her journey of World Regeneration and continued even after its ultimate failure. Children and adults alike would frequently approach her with inquiries ranging from, “Is it true that you were born with a Cruxis Crystal in the palm of your hand?” to “Can I see your wings?” to “Can I have a hug?” Colette was more than happy to oblige all of these requests, storing the memories in the back of her head to dust off whenever she needed a reminder of what she was fighting for.

Lloyd, on the other hand, wasn’t quite accustomed to fame yet. Every time the pair stopped in Luin, he’d periodically make comments on how  _ weird  _ it was to see a statue built in his honor.

“I’m just a normal guy, you know?” he’d said once. “It’s crazy how people have started treating me like some sort of hero.”

Colette had pointed out that being a ‘normal guy’ had never made him any less of a hero to her—Even before leaving Iselia, she’d always thought of him as a savior just for being brave enough to befriend an outcast like her—to which Lloyd responded with cheeks rivaling his favorite outfit in their redness and flustered mumbles about her being a dork, his palm perched on the top of her head, fingers fiddling with her hair.

Colette always liked it when he did that. It made her feel like a cherished puppy.

But as exciting as the statue was, Lloyd all but forgot about it the second he heard about Luin’s newest installment: United World Cafe.

Boasting ten specialty donut flavors—one to honor each of the heroes who reunified the world and a bonus commemorating the union of the two worlds as a whole—United World Cafe was the new name of Gertrude’s Bake Shop. The titular Gertrude, a grandmotherly old woman who was seldom seen without an apron, had opened the store more than thirty years prior to Luin’s collapse, and her peerlessly delicious baked goods, together with the soothing aura she exuded, had thoroughly cemented the place as one of the most beloved eateries in the region. Needless to say, the residents of Luin were heartbroken to see the bakery destroyed, but a handful of Gertrude’s younger relations gathered up a band of concerned villagers to rebuild, and a year later, United World Cafe (renamed as per Gertrude’s request) was open for business with none other than Lloyd Irving as its mascot.

“Finally, someone who can draw a flattering picture of me!” Lloyd commented as the two approached the entrance. They’d been invited to the cafe’s grand reopening as guests of honor, and they agreed to take a brief vacation from their exsphere hunt to attend.

“It’s much better than those wanted posters,” Colette agreed. “The rosy cheeks are adorable! And I love the chef hat!”

“I like to think this is closer to what I actually look like.”

“It’s definitely more accurate,” Colette affirmed. “Almost as cute as the real you!”

Lloyd was saved from responding to that as a woman with a lively smile betraying the wrinkles on her face opened the front door, arms wide open in welcome.

“Well, if it isn’t the man and woman of the hour! I’m Gertrude. Pleased to make your acquaintance!”

“Nice to meet you,” the pair said almost in perfect unison, punctuated with a few bashful giggles at their synchronicity.

“Come in, come in!” Gertrude ushered them through the door, leading them to a crowded table with two empty seats at its head.

A freckle-faced girl no older than twelve promptly emerged from behind the counter and delivered each of them a laminated light pink menu highlighting the cafe’s brand new donuts.

“Can I get you two something to drink? Coffee, perhaps?”

“I’ll take a peppermint mocha,” said Lloyd. “I don’t think Colette’s too big of a coffee fan, though.” He directed a teasing glance her way.

“Oh, right!” chirped the girl, whose name tag read ‘June.’ “Grandma did a bunch of research on which flavors the Nine Great Heroes like best, and she said that Colette likes sweet and fruity things. How about a honey lemon tea?”

Colette wasn’t entirely sure what the cafe’s sources on her friends’ tastes were, but at least in her case, the information was accurate. A quick glance at the menu revealed that the donut named after her would almost definitely be to her liking, too.

“That sounds great!” she beamed. “Thank you very much!”

“All right, I’ll be back in a jiffy!” June scurried behind the counter and began preparing their drinks.

As the other guests at the table flooded Lloyd and Colette with the usual questions and praise, Colette read the donut menu in more detail:

  * _The Eternal Swordsman: A classic chocolate glazed donut that tastes like home._
  * _The Angelic Maiden: A powdered donut filled with the sweetest strawberry jelly in the New World._
  * _The Mana Master: A youthful tasting donut filled with blueberries._
  * _The Professor: A zesty donut glazed with lemon and sprinkled with poppy seeds._
  * _The War God: A surprisingly sweet donut covered in cinnamon and sugar._
  * _The Master Summoner: A uniquely mature donut with hints of matcha._
  * _The Casanova: A simply elegant Meltokio cruller reminiscent of the finer things in life._
  * _The Deadly Flower: A hearty apple fritter to satisfy your appetite after a long day of work._
  * _El Presidente: A wholesome custard-filled donut topped with chocolate frosting._



_ The United World: A donut that combines the flavors of Sylvarant and Tethe’alla with a frosting made from Palmacosta’s famous peanuts and Altamira’s famous chocolate. _

They all sounded fantastic! She resolved right then to take a full box home with her so she and Lloyd could try each one over the course of the next few days.

In what seemed like no time at all, June returned with the drinks and two donuts: a brown glazed one for Lloyd and a white powdery one for Colette.

“Enjoy!”

The pair thanked their server, and Lloyd wasted no time digging into his donut.

“It’s great!” he mumbled through a mouthful of food, giving a thumbs up to June.

The girl curtsied in gratitude.

“I’m glad you like it!”

“Just one thing, though,” he piped up after swallowing. “The menu says it’s supposed to ‘taste like home,’ right? But homes are usually made of wood, and wood doesn’t taste very good. This donut does taste good, so I’m not really sure it tastes like home.”

“I don’t think ‘tasting like home’ means that something tastes like wood, Lloyd” said Colette. “It just means that it tastes like the type of thing you’d eat at home, so it makes you feel good, right?”

June nodded, obviously relieved that someone else was present to explain the concept to Lloyd and she wasn’t stuck shouldering the responsibility. “Yeah, that’s right!”

“Oh, I get it!” said Lloyd. “So it tastes like the type of thing your mom or dad would make!”

“Exactly!”

Lloyd furrowed his brows, still not completely satisfied with this explanation.

“It doesn’t really taste like  _ my _ home, though. My dad doesn’t really make desserts. He’s more into stews and stuff. And Dwarven Potluck Surprise!”

“Hm, that’s true,” Colette mused. “I guess for you, a donut that tastes like home would taste like Dwarven Potluck Surprise.”

“I-I’m sorry,” said June, clearly not entirely sure what to do with this information. “Would you prefer we made the Eternal Swordsman a…Dwarven, er, Potluck Surprise donut instead?”

“No, no!” Lloyd waved his hands in front of him. “A Dwarven Potluck Surprise donut doesn’t sound like a good combination. Keep it like this!”

Her attention captured by all the commotion, Gertrude made her way over to the head of the table.

“My granddaughter isn’t causing you two any trouble, is she?”

“Oh, heavens no!” Colette reassured her. “She’s doing a great job! She’s really cute and energetic!” She shot a smile at June, who looked positively  _ adorable _ in her tiny work uniform.

“Good, good.” Gertrude nodded. “Just wanted to check on you. How are you liking your donuts?”

“It’s great!” Lloyd praised. “Ten out of ten!”

“Oh!” Colette snapped out of her cuteness-induced trance. “I got so distracted by talking that I haven’t tried mine yet. Let me take a bite now!”

Sure enough, the donut was delicious. The powdered sugar paired well with the strawberry chunks swimming in the jelly. Some might find the pastry a little too sweet, but for Colette, there was no such thing.

“I love it!” she exclaimed. “It’s perfect!”

“Ooh!” Lloyd marveled. “That jelly inside yours looks really good! Mind if I try a bite?”

“Of course you can!” Colette replied. “Just as long as I can try a bite of yours, too.”

“Sure!”

The two traded donuts, each sampling the other’s with delight, when Colette noticed that June’s jaw was practically on the floor.

She swallowed the mouthful of chocolate donut (which was tasty, but not  _ quite  _ as good as the Angelic Maiden in her opinion) and looked up at the girl with the concern of a doting older sister.

“Um, June? Are you okay?”

June pointed at the guests of honor with a shaking finger, her eyes watering with excitement. She looked like a tea kettle that was about to overheat and produce a high-pitched whistle.

“In-indirect kiss!”

While Colette couldn’t possibly look Lloyd in the eye, the bits of his face that she could make out in her peripheral vision as she stared down at her donut were bright red. She had a feeling that hers was the same.

She and Lloyd had been sharing food and drinks since childhood, so it had never occurred to her that such an activity could be thought of as an ‘indirect kiss.’ Besides, during their recent travels, the two had kissed for  _ real _ a handful of times, so something like this shouldn’t be a big deal.

Still, being publicly viewed as a couple made her feel like a pile of autumn leaves was rustling in her chest. It wasn’t a bad thing, exactly; it was just totally uncharted territory, and it caught her off guard.

“June!” Gertrude chided with a wagging finger. “Don’t be rude to our guests.”

“But  _ Grandma _ !” the girl squealed. “Isn’t it romantic?”

“That’s  _ enough _ , June.”

“ _ Fine _ ,” the girl pouted. “I guess I’ll go check on the other customers.”

“I’m so sorry about that,” said Gertrude, as June sulked off to the opposite side of the cafe. “She’s a good girl, but she can be a bit…forward.”

“It’s fine,” Colette assured her, still unable to completely avert her eyes from her donut.

“Yeah, it’s fine,” Lloyd echoed.

The two spent the rest of the opening ceremony focusing as intently as possible on the townspeople’s questions—a welcome distraction from the awkward events that had just transpired—until the crowds began to disperse and it was finally time to head back to the inn. Colette bought a box of ten donuts for the road, and the pair said their goodbyes to Gertrude as they exited the cafe.

Just as the two neared the fountain, a petite figure emerged from the evening shadows: a pigtailed girl with a sprinkling of freckles across her nose. She approached Lloyd and Colette with her head slightly bowed in embarrassment.

“Um, excuse me. I just wanted to thank you for coming to the cafe, and, um, I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

“That’s okay,” said Colette. “I never got the chance to thank you for recommending the honey lemon tea to me. I loved it!”

“Thanks!” she beamed. “I’m glad you liked it.”

June paused, apparently debating whether or not her next thought was worth saying.

“Um, Colette? You have some powdered sugar on your face.”

Colette blushed. “Oh, thank you for telling me! Now where did I put my handkerchief?” She began fumbling through her pockets.

Lloyd grabbed her arm, stopping her search.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

Before Colette had the chance to thank him for offering to help, Lloyd’s lips were pressed to the corner of her mouth, the tip of his tongue sweeping away the stray bits of powdered sugar with an inimitable warmth.

She couldn’t help but giggle, partly from nerves, but mostly because it  _ tickled _ . Was being kissed supposed to tickle this much? It had never tickled before. But she didn’t dislike it. She wouldn’t mind receiving more ticklish kisses in the future.

June, still standing in front of them, pumped her fist in a display of victory.

“I  _ knew _ it! I totally knew it! You two lovebirds have fun!” she called out behind her as she frolicked back towards the cafe, the white of her wide, toothy grin gleaming against the night.

Colette just leaned against her best friend’s shoulder as he pet her hair, making a mental note to be a messier eater from now on.


End file.
